In the only early game Sunday in the NFC South, the New Orleans Saints beat the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte 30-27. The Saints relied on an all-too-common virtuoso performance from Drew Brees, who threw for 359 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. The Panthers limited the Saints to just over 100 yards rushing, and no one member of their tandem was able to get going.
For the Panthers, DeAngelo Williams had a great game, carrying nine times for 115 yards and a 69-yard touchdown. Cam Newton struggled at times, but ended up with 224 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also rushed for a touchdown. The difference was, get ready for it...Drew Brees, who led the team to rack up 444 total yards.
Newton continues his good play and is exceeding his expectations to this point. Only time will tell if he is able to turn Carolina into a contender in the future, but at least he has them playing competitively at the moment.